Carol Holland Stein

Carol was released from her earthly body in the company of her daughter and daughter-in-love on 10/24/2025.

Carol was born in 1947, the youngest of 2 girls born into a military family. She spent her young years growing up on military bases around the world and around the country. Her family eventually relocated back to Southeastern Missouri where their roots were, and Carol graduated Poplar Bluff High School in 1965. After high school, Carol left home for a job at the SSA in Westplains, MO. In West Plains, she met her sister by spirit and husband to be. After marrying, Carol and husband Gerald moved to St. Louis and spent the next 22 years there raising a daughter, Dawn, and enjoying life's joys and struggles together. Carol and her husband then moved to Raleigh, NC, where Carol spent her remaining 34 years.

Carol reached outside herself and had a full and joyous life. She lived her life with passion and purpose; a fierce competitor and champion for many. She was devoted to growth in herself and others. She found joy in the pursuit of not only her own passions, but in supporting and encouraging the passions of those she knew. A creative spirit looking always for the good and beauty in all.

Ever looking for new ways to influence things for the better, Carol did many things. She was an Aesthete, Author, Artist, Photographer, Daughter, Sister, Wife, Mother, Friend, Student, Educator, Master Gardener, Columnist, Entrepreneur, Guest Speaker, Organizer, Champion, Fan, Optimist, Activist; and she did all with concentrated passion and devotion, fully present.

Her desire to create led her to create art in multi-media; painting, sculpting, pottery, pastels, photography, watercolors, wood, metal, stone, cooking, words. Her instinct to teach led her to help start the "Carolina School of Gardening," present forums on gardening and wildlife preservation, write a regular column for the Raleigh N&O sharing gardening tips and life lessons with friends and strangers alike. She planted herself firmly in her communities and invested in those around her throughout her life.

She believed one could define and redefine oneself throughout life, and did so. 

Carol was born to, and is preceded in death by Howard B. and Olga L. Holland (née Woodring). 

She precedes her husband of 57 years, Gerald Stein; sister, Joyce Harris; sister-by-blessing, Kathy Corwin; dear friend Carmelita Britton; kindred spirit, Barbara Ashworth; daughter, Dawn; daughters-in-love, Brienne Steinwright, Charlotte Thompson, and Shawn Thompson-McCanery; beloved cousins, in-laws, nieces, nephews, neighbors, and friends near and far.

All who knew Carol know that she was compassionate, loving, and caring. She nurtured the best in others and influenced those around her by example. She spent her final years living her truth and dreams by creating art and sharing her deep hope and optimism with all she touched. She planted roots and built community wherever she landed. Her neighbors became friends, her friends became family, her art an ever-flowing fount of creation. Ever nurturing, her influence will continue to touch lives she'll never know.

Please take a look in the gallery and see some of her art. This is her lasting gift and was a continual joy in life.

She contributed over 5000 pieces to her "sketch-a-day" app account under the name "mbear" during a 1000-day+ streak. 

If you would like to see them, here is a link:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.tomhicks.asketchaday

May her spirit dance joyously in the sunrises.